| Full text |
1st Fl., Central Part. AMSTERDAM. 43. Route. 389
Huis at Amsterdam (4675); 542. F. Bol, Three governors of the
hospital for lepers; *1084. Frans Hals, Married couple in a garden
(formerly described as the artist and his wife; ca. 1624).
Gantnet VIII (247 H). To the left: *2129.D. Santvoort, Dirck
\ Bas, Burgomaster of Amsterdam, with his family; 452. J. A. Beer-
\ straaten, Ruins of the old Stadhuis of Amsterdam after the fire of
4662: 1088, 1087. Fr. Hals, Lucas de Clerg and his wife (1635);
between these, 2620. Jan B. Weenix, Dead deer.
The Roox or Honour (243), lighted from above, at the end of the
Gallery of Honour, was originally intended for Rembrandt’s works,
as the dates on the frieze still indicate. The lighting, however, was
found to be unfavourable to his masterpiece (p. 330), and in its
former place, opposite the entrance, now hangs *No. 1434. B. van
der Helst’s Company of Capt. Roelof Bicker and Lieut. Jan Michielsz
Blaeuw, which in point of colouring surpasses the Schuttersmaaltyd.
This picture, whi painted in 1639 for the ‘De Haan’ Brewery
in Amsterdam, comp figures arranged in two groups, oe of which
js seated in front of the brewery, the other standing, while Ensizn Pieter
Hulft salutes them. ¢
To the right: #41085. Frans Hals (1637; completed by Pieter
Codde), Capt. Reynier Reael’s Company of Arquebusiers (the “Lean
Company’), an admirable and characteristic work, full of life and
vigour. Above, 828. Karel du Jardin, Five directors of the House of
Correction sitting and standing at a table, and a servant (1669). The
connoisseur will be surprised to find this fine corporation-picture
painted by the well-known painter of pastoral] subjects.
On the right wall: M. d’Hondecoeter, 1219. The philosophical
magpie, 1220. Farmyard. Between these —
#4435. B. van der Helst, ‘De Schuttersmaaltyd’, or Banquet of
the Arquebusiers (‘schutters’) of Amsterdam, who on 48th June,
4648, are celebrating the Peace of Westphalia in the St. Joris-
Doele, or shooting-gallery of St. George (72/3 ft. by 18 ft.).
The twenty-five ‘schutters’, lifesize portraits, are sitting or standing
around a richly-furnished table in brisk and joyous mood. In the right
corner is Captain Wits, in black velvet with a blue sash, holding a
silver drinking-horn (the origina] now in the Dutch Museum, p. 383) in one
hand, and presenting the other to Lieutenant Van Waveren, who wears
a handsome pearl-grey doublet, richly pbrocaded with gold. In the centre
of the picture is the ensign Jacob Banning, while to the left a number
of other arquebusiers are seen drinking and chatting. The heads are
maryellously lifelike and the drawing bold and minutely correct. The
details are perhaps more to be admired than the aggregate effect, which
is somewhat marred by the uniformly distributed light and the want of
contrast. The hands are strikingly true to nature and characteristic of
their owners, and it has been not inaptly reraarked that if they were all
thrown together in a heap there would be no difficulty in restoring them
to the figures to which they respectively belong. — Comp. p. Ixvi.
On the same wall, 955. W. de Geest, Count Hendrik Casimir J.
of Nassau, Stadholder of Friesland.
Entrance wall: 892. Nic. Elias, Capt. Dirck Theulingh’s company
(1639); #2646. J. Weenix, Dead game (1724). — *1224. Melchior
d’Hondecoeter, Pelican, ducks, and peacock (‘la plume flottante’). |
